Astros' LaMonte Wade Jr. Lands on 10-Day Injured List Due to Hamstring Issue

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — In a setback for the Houston Astros, LaMonte Wade Jr. has been placed on the 10-day injured list due to a strain in his right hamstring. This decision comes just days after the team added the veteran utility player to enhance their offensive capabilities from the left side.

The 32-year-old Wade made a promising start with Houston, going 4 for 12, including a home run, two doubles, and four RBIs in his initial four games. He recently signed with the Astros after opting out of his contract with Triple-A Charlotte, a team in the Chicago White Sox organization.

Wade's injury occurred during Monday night's 5-4 victory over the Los Angeles Angels, where he hit an RBI double before limping into second base and having to exit the game. “Wade is going to take a little bit longer,” said Astros manager Joe Espada ahead of Tuesday night’s matchup against the Angels. “His diagnosis is not encouraging, but we’re going to see how he progresses.”

To fill the void left by Wade, Houston has called up outfielder Joey Loperfido from Triple-A Sugar Land. Wade, who has played all three outfield positions as well as first base, has a career batting average of .236, with 56 home runs and 189 RBIs across eight seasons in the majors, including stints with the Twins, Giants, Angels, and Astros.

“The quality of his at-bats, having that lefty bat off the bench… (it’s tough) to have that weapon taken away from us,” Espada remarked. “But we’ll get him treated and get him back in the lineup because I really liked what he was doing and the way he was going about it. It was a good piece.”